History: Unity State Bank Robbery (1910)
Poster: Ken Wood
 

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Marshfield Times 1 June 1910 Page 1

UNITY STATE BANK LOOTED

Burglars Blow Safe and Secure $2,500 Cash and $20,000 in Notes.

Work Done About 2 a. m. Tuesday But Not Discovered Until 6 O'clock

The village of Unity experienced a shock at about 6 a. m. Tuesday morning when it was learned that the new state bank had been entered during the night by burglars and the vault and safe wrecked with nitro-glycerine. Immediate investigation was made and proved that the efforts of the burglars had been completely successful and everything of value had been taken from the bank safe.

Cashier Devoe, who was in this city, was notified by wire and on arriving at the bank by automobile found that the robbers had secured about $2500 in cash and notes and securities to the value of $20,000. The loss to the bank will be slight as the cash is covered by burglar insurance, the policy having fortunately been taken out last week, while the papers taken cannot be realized upon by the robbers and other records in the bank preserve them.

The job was (unreadable) and the work of the person or persons who handled it bears the imprint of expert cracksmen. The explosive was used judiciously and while the safe doors were blown neatly from their hinges no harm was done the contents of the safe. Residents near the bank heard a dull explosion about two o'clock and were suspicious, but no investigation was made at the time. No clue whatever is left as to the identity of the yeggmen but it is probable that a band of skillful criminals who have worked in this section for several years did the work. With the start of several hours escape was comparatively easy and the yeggmen may have covered their tracks so successfully that they will never be captured. The authorities are at work on the case, however, and later developments may offer some clue which will lead to the capture of the gang.

Cashier Devoe was here to the banker's meeting last Friday and Ernest Messer had been in charge of the bank in his absence. Business was resumed at the bank as usual Tuesday afternoon.

Marshfield Times Wednesday 15 June 1910

UNITY BANK SUSPECTS ARRESTED

At Minneapolis Monday Stewart Gelleffe and Victor Bloom were arrested charged with complicity in the Unity bank robbery May 31. The arrest was made at the request of the detectives of the Bankers' Protective association, who claim that a gang working out of the twin cities made the haul at Unity and also Osceola May 29. Officers from Marathon county are after th! e men with requisition papers.